334 On the Consuetudinary of S. Osmund. 



form ; for all the higher festivalsybwr canons^ two from the higher 

 and two from the lower form. To say that the choir was " ruled " 

 on any day meant that it was a festival of one or the other class. 



Arrayed in silken copes and furred almuces, and each bearing a 

 staff of beautiful workmanship, these Rulers of the Choir sat on 

 stools ranged from north to south. It was for the first Ruler to ask 

 at the beginning of evensong from the Precentor in what tones the 

 psalms were to be chanted, and by whom among the upper Canons 

 the antiphons were to be enloned. 



It is hardly worth troubling our readers with all the details of their 

 dutieSj which are very explicitly laid down in the Consuetudinary. 

 Suffice it to say, that they had the general control of the singing ; 

 and, amongst other duties, had to look after and watch over the 

 boys, and to see that they did not misbehave or go out of the choir 

 without leave. 



III. — In § XXV. we commence a series of minute directions for 

 the mode of " executing the office " {de modo exequendi offickim) 

 on various days ; commencing with Advent Sunday, and going 

 through the course of the ecclesiastical year. Interspersed with 

 these, are instructions for incensing the altar and the choir ; for 

 blessing the holy water with which all the altars and the various 

 worshippers were aspersed; and for the daily reading and other 

 ceremonies in the chapter-house after prime-song. In this portion 

 also we have a minute description of the " Tabulae," or " Tables," 

 in which those who were responsible for the various services, as well 

 as the way in which they were to be carried out, were entered from 

 week to week. This portion of the Consuetudinary occupies no less 

 than forty-four sections, i.e., from § 25 to § 69. 



Two matters, each of some little interest, it may be remarked in 

 passing, are brought before us, or illustrated, in this portion of tie 

 Consuetudinary. 



The first of them is contained in § 30, which is entitled " De 

 ordinatione clericorum in capitulo " and a brief reference to this will 

 be found in a previous page,' but some further details may not be 



' See above, p. 275. 



